Verhaeghe Vichtenaar

Brewed by Verhaeghe
Style: Sour Ale
Vichte, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

Bottle. Pours a clear, bold reddish-caramel color; light tan head with fine-bubbled lacing. Vinegar, overripe fruits, and balsamic notes in the aroma; brown sugar; overripe, not very sour, and not especially good. Medium mouthfeel: balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and overripe red fruits; flabby, lightly carbonated, and slightly metallic; lacking the necessary acidity and tartness; a bland, vinegar-dominated flemish red. Medium finish: breadiness, red fruits, and vinegar.

Courtesy of kmweaver. Clear, filtered, amber body with a large off-white head. The nose is sweetened apple cider vinegar, with light cherry and noticeable nail polish remover. The flavor is very sweet and moderate sour, lots of sugar, some cherry, lots of vinegar. Medium body is a bit thin with moderate carbonation. Wow, that sucks.

Pours a deep amber brown color with a slight white head. Aroma is sweet, sugary, fruity, and a slight tart finish.

Have been looking for this for some time. Bottle. Sweet and strongly sour smelling aroma of sour cherries with a little balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bruin (red-brown) pour with a large, frothy, rocky tanned head. Good lace retention. Taste is strongly sweet and sour with sharp, dense carbonation. A spicy character on top of the normal sour cherries; I wonder, is it from this particular yeast strain, or something picked up from the extra-long lagering? It is subtle and I rather like it. Aftertaste is dry and full of cherry life. Just a bit of wood (oak?) to round the edges, the overall package is smooth and complex and wonderfully integrated. Alcohol is not apparent, body is on the lightish side of medium, but boy is the flavor robust. Lovely tang, we could have many good memories together. An easy-drinking favorite!

Like its brewery brother (sister), has some nice kriek notes and would be an utter monster if the sweetness were toned down a bit.

Bottle. Deep brown in colour with a big, off-white head. Slightly sour aromas of malt, fruit and oak. Flavours were tart, with some more wood, a hint of vinegar and green fruit. Very thirst quenching.

Pours dark red, lots of carbonation with a big head that lasts for a bit. Body is lighter than Duchesse or Rodenbach, with less oil on the finish. Not as complex as either of those, but still a good beer.

Bottle, from Noel Cuveliers, Abele. Rich brown pour, chalk white head. Sweet dried cherry aroma, spicy with a little cinnamon and vanilla. Sweet old-ale sort of malt flavor, but rounded out with a nice sour edge that gives it a mouthwatering quality. Good flavor volume, a nice raisin/mineral finish. Fairly full bodied for the strength. I dig.

Deep dark red and almost brown color. Roasted malt aromas with a lot of fruit in there like plum and raisin. Reminds me of a light port wine aroma. As you sip the fruit flavors explode in your mouth. Big red fruit flavors with some grape and apple as well. Slight sweetness and sour is faint and upfront on the palate but comes again as you finish your drink.